Dragon Ball Z: Divergence
by MM007
Summary: What might have happened if Shenron did a better job granting the revival wish during the Namek Saga and closed some plotholes? What if the ripples from that made Gohan more proactive and obscured events further? May become Gohan x Harem eventually, but pairings not explicitly planned nor the story's main focus. Just covering my bases.
1. Home from Namek

**Author's Notes: What happened if Shenron did a better job granting the revival wish during the Namek Saga? What if the ripples from that made Gohan more proactive and obscured events further? This first chapter will have a good bit of dialogue and events taken from the series' dub itself until the ripples from the change become large enough. I will try to tone down the more overt '90s slang though. This may well become Gohan x harem eventually.**

**I've also made two edits: One to correct Piccolo and Nail's power levels to 1.8 million, and another to make Gohan facing Nappa Piccolo's idea. As such, the end of the chapter has been extended and improved. Please re-read.**

* * *

_**Dragon Ball Z: Divergence**_

_Chapter 01: Home from Namek_

_December 24, Age 762_

_A Forest Clearing on Earth_

It had been a taxing day for the members of the Dragon Team and for the Namekian race. The deaths of the latter had been reversed by the former with some assistance from King Kai, Kami, Dende, and the Grand Elder Guru. Everyone killed by Frieza and his henchmen in the past year had been revived, and everyone alive on planet Namek save for two combatants had been brought to Earth. The Super Saiyan had risen against the galactic tyrant and even now they battled on the dying world that was Namek. Now safely on Earth and close to his natural death, Lord Guru had called for the whole of his children to join him. He and various others were surprised when several Namekians ran to the assembled group with urgency. "They're not here!" The leader of the group stated with worry.

"Who's not here?" Moori asked of the approaching group.

"W-We've looked everywhere and we can't seem to find anyone from Guru's village!" The first Namekian from the returning group stated.

"But, that can't be..." Another Namekian said in concern as the group became confused.

"Are you talking about those pathetic villagers _I_ defeated?" Vegeta said in response to the query, all eyes shifting to him "I believe the Dragon Balls brought back everyone who had been killed by Frieza or his henchmen. Isn't that right? Well that doesn't include me. How very sad." Vegeta said that sarcastically, knowing that he'd cast aside Frieza fully when he rebelled on Frieza Planet 79. He hadn't considered himself serving Frieza in any capacity after that point. He didn't truly care about the sadness of the situation, but he relished the glares and clenched fists of the Namekians.

The focus Vegeta had brought upon himself was diverted from by the Namekian Dragon Balls falling from the sky. "Ah. The Dragon Balls have followed me to this place. They too feel the time is right for me to go." Guru noted, aware that his time is near. He started having a coughing fit, alarming his children.

"Wait, Guru! We need you now!" One of the Namekians called out. Guru smiled, however, breathing heavily.

"Aww...no...You are all so much stronger than you realize. It is a tough road ahead, but we are a race of survivors. You _will_ make it." He said with a smile. "M-Moori." He called to his first-born son. The village elder in in question stepped forward obediently.

"Y-Yes?" Moori inquired in puzzlement.

"Please. Give me your hand." When Moori obliged, a golden aura was transferred to him and the crowd stared in awe. "You...are the eldest now. Please take good care of all our people. Soon, the Dragon Balls will sparkle again. Use them, but use them wisely. Watch over them. Guard them like children."

Gohan pondered the matter as he watched and sensed Guru weaken, feeling saddened that the kind Namekian would die with a measure of grief. He could sense East City having returned and even sensed Nappa's presence, so why hadn't the Namekians come back? All just because of an oversight with the wish's wording? There had to be a way to solve this! The boy analyzed the situation as Guru leaned forward with labored coughing. Getting an idea and knowing he had to act quickly, he urgently turned to Bulma.

"Bulma, please! How long is a Namekian year? I need to know before Guru passes on!" The urgency made everyone look to him in a bit of surprise, not just the blue-haired scientist.

"Huh? About 130 Earth days. Why do you need to know that, Gohan?" Bulma asked, wondering what the kid was thinking.

Gohan smiled widely. "Well, if their Dragon Balls are coming back and recharge that fast, I think we can bring back the Namekians that Vegeta killed too!"

Bulma looked puzzled, the woman showing confusion before getting a sad expression. The kid was getting ahead of himself trying to find hope in the situation. "That's a nice thought, Gohan, but their Dragon Balls can only bring back one person at a time, right? That'd work, but it'd take them years to wish them back one at a time." She'd been listening to the conversations playing out and the telling of lore very carefully. This limitation was why only Piccolo had made it back out of their group thus far.

"I know, but listen! Our Dragon Balls were used to bring back Dad, but Porunga recharged them before the year was up when Piccolo and Kami were brought back to life, right? So if we recharge Earth's Dragon Balls again with one of the wishes to Porunga in 130 days, then we can wish back everyone Vegeta killed with Shenron!" Bulma had listened with her eyes widening gradually as Gohan spoke. The implications of Gohan's idea clicked in her own mind as being sound.

"Hey, you're right! We can still wish back all the remaining Namekians that way! Great thinking, Gohan!" Bulma beamed at the clever child. Normally Gohan would have looked at the ground shyly at Bulma's praise, but there was a sense of urgency as he turned and looked up to Guru. This nice man who had helped unlock his power and make all of this possible. Guru was, in spite of the front he was putting up, still grieving.

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding, sir. I just wanted you to know before you go...things _will_ be okay. Even for the ones you've lost. We can still save them!" Gohan tried to be respectful but felt it important for Guru to pass on without mourning his lost children.

The elder pondered the child's words before giving him a weak but earnest smile. "Thank you, young one. You are indeed correct. They can still be revived in that manner. However...your idea will only work with some preparation. As for your own lost ones, Porunga is capable of bringing back a person from death many times as long as it was not a natural death. You have done much for us and promise more...we should be more than willing to respond in kind." Gohan's more determined expression became a very wide smile, but this quickly faded when the elder leaned over and started to cough. This alarmed his children, but he soon started speaking once more. "Dende, please come here. I need your healing gift to buy me...just a little more time. I must speak with this world's Guardian. I need to see Katas' other son. The one they know as Kami."

"Y-yes! Of course, Lord Guru!" Dende said, approaching and laying his hands on the patriarch of the Namekian race. After a healing light washed over Guru, he seemed to improve marginally. Reaching out with his telepathy, he spoke to the Guardian of Earth.

_'Guardian of Earth. Son of Katas. Please come meet with me before I pass on. I wish to confer unto you knowledge of our people and the Dragon Balls, and unlock your hidden potential. I must also ask for aid from you...'_

* * *

_In a wasteland 30 minutes away from the remnants of East City by air..._

"Nnngh...w...what?" A bald, mustached man in horribly damaged armor inquired as his eyes opened. Sitting up, he looked around himself and took note of the place he'd died. He hadn't even recognized the area immediately due to the massive damage to the area caused by Goku and Vegeta's fight and the subsequent Oozaru battle. Doubts were finally dispelled when he noted the remains of Saibamen on the ground as well as the crater left by that one Saibaman's self destruct. None of the other fighters' corpses were still here, though. It was surreal and strange.

He attempted to make sense of the situation, having last been in Hell. A number of Frieza's best men, including four members of the Ginyu Force, had been sent there and made mention of heavy resistance in their efforts to obtain some Dragon Balls from Namek. Mention of Vegeta, a Saiyan child, and others had been made. And now this? Just what was happening?

"Keh-KEH?" Nappa was distracted from his musings by the sound of a single Saibaman's confused vocalization. The creature, the same one Vegeta himself had effortlessly destroyed, looked around itself at the scene of the battle. It reached down to pick something up in its clawed hand, lifting up a brown appendage which stood out amongst the carnage. It was a Saiyan's tail. Nappa hurriedly checked and found his own in its proper place, and knew that it was too large to belong to the kid. When the realization hit Nappa on what this meant, that Vegeta had been pressed hard enough to lose his tail and thus access to the Oozaru form that had clearly ravaged the area, his response was initially slack-jawed disbelief.

"...Just _what_ did we _miss_?" Nappa asked, the simplistic Saibaman unable to provide an intelligible answer.

* * *

_Back in the forest, relatively close to the clearing of Namekians..._

Private Namole opened his eyes, laying in a clearing. Sitting up and looking around, he found himself in a very strange place. His last mortal memory was of reporting to Lord Frieza on the bridge and being killed for not being overly enthused about the Ginyu Force being called in, only to be sent to Hell. It was strange and surreal, to say the least. Without a scouter, he didn't have many options. He did, however, take note of a strange sound.

"Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit!"

Looking to his right, he took note of Captain Ginyu. Or at least it had the appearance of the Captain he feared. It was wounded, squat on all fours and squaring off against a local reptile of some sort.

"...What...in King Cold's name..." The human-looking soldier inquired, staring in surprise.

"Hey, Namole! What's happening around here! Where are we?" A voice to Namole's right inquired, looking over to a yellow alien with red eyes and fangs for teeth. His attire was that of a Frieza soldier as well and Namole recognized him quickly. Namole had been the one to clean up the corpse after Frieza killed him over a minor screw-up, after all. The alien's eyes widened and took note of the purple being in Namole's company. "Is that Captain Ginyu? Why is he..."

"Not sure, Orlen." Namole said, shrugging. "All I know is that after Zarbon was killed, Frieza killed me because I didn't respond exactly like he wanted over the Ginyu Force being summoned. Then I was sent to Hell, then suddenly I'm back on Namek, and then I'm in this place with Captain Ginyu acting like a frog. Since I remember the rest of the Ginyu Force arriving in Hell though, my best guess is that everything went even more south. None of us even had scouters except the higher ranked soldiers, so I can't even find out what planet we're on or communicate with other survivors. Well, assuming we're even alive again. Can't even be sure about that much."

Orlen crossed his arms, not liking the report. "Tch. So things are absolutely FUBAR. Well, I guess I'd best do some scouting. Maybe we can find a sign of civilization or some communications equipment-" A beam of blinding light chose that moment to descend from the sky, parting the clouds and heading toward a nearby clearing. They had no idea that Earth's Guardian was the cause.

"Huh...guess I'll start there. You watch the Captain, Namole. I'll go take a look at this." Orlen said, the yellow alien flying low as he headed to the source of the light. Namole didn't like being ordered around by someone who was the same rank, but Orlen had seniority and Namole really preferred hanging back right now.

"Fine...come on, Captain. Let's try to find some shelter while we wait." Namole groaned in resignation. Ginyu stared blankly at the man, before ribbiting again. This was a long day, and showed no signs of being over yet...

* * *

With the accompanying flash of blinding light, Kami descended from the sky and found himself among his surprised people. He looked around himself at them before approaching the eldest of his race. "It is nice to finally meet my people. I am a nameless being known by the title of Kami. My apologies for my absence, but my duties as the Guardian of this world only allow me to descend to Earth for brief periods, sometimes for mere moments at a time."

"This world's guardian is one of our own?"

"That explains why they have Dragon Balls. He must be of the Dragon Clan..."

"To hold the same standing as Lord Guru..."

The Namekians regarded the stranger with awe, as much as they had Piccolo before him.

"I understand, Kami. I will try to make this brief. First...Nail. Please come here." Guru said, beckoning Piccolo to approach. Placing two hands upon his head, Guru set to work, performing two actions at one time. Focusing, he worked to unleash the merged warrior's hidden potential...even as he pulled his hands apart with some effort. In a flash of light, Nail and Piccolo stood next to each other and raw power erupted from them both. The locals were stunned as their auras radiated from them, while Vegeta realized that he was no longer the strongest. He sneered when he calculated each member of the pair to be stronger than Frieza's 1% form by half again.

To think that having a power level of 18,000 was something he was proud of not two months ago. Now these Namekians each stood a literal hundred times stronger. Vegeta felt a further sting to his pride.

"There...Nail, Piccolo, I have unlocked your hidden potentials. While doing so, I initiated fission to split you from one another. Now each of our peoples have a protector stronger than the one over there who murdered our people." Vegeta glared at Guru for his statement, but the latter continued. "Not only should Nail have his own life to live, but his presence would interfere in any future re-fusion of Kami and Piccolo. Removing them from one-another is for the best."

"How could that be?" Nail inquired, while Piccolo glared slightly at the mention of a reunification.

"Should Kami and Piccolo ever re-integrate into the complete son of Katas while Nail was a component within the process, his Warrior Clan nature would prevent the resultant being from sustaining the Dragon Balls. The balls would be inert from that time forward unless passed to another member of the Dragon Clan or unless Nail were removed from the fusion. Now...it is time to give these children knowledge of their history and people, as well as of the Dragon Balls linked to their lives." Guru smiled at the trio before him and moved one of his hands from Nail's head to Kami's. With his hands on the two halves of the son of Katas, he focused. Memories and knowledge flowed into the pair of Namekians, provided a context the pair had never had. They even learned the face of their progenitor, Katas.

"And finally..." Guru let go of Piccolo, but kept a hand on Kami's head as he breathed heavily. In a burst of white aura, Kami's power rose notably. Stunned at the burst of energy, the Guardian of Earth found himself much stronger than he ever was before. He wasn't to the level of the senior members of the Dragon Team, but that wasn't the point. Guru coughed again, having almost expended the time bought for him by Dende.

"There...now you are stronger...and can make your own Dragon Balls stronger as well. Should you and Piccolo merge once more, you and they can even be stronger still...but that is your choice. I merely...give this world the option. Please...you have connections with the Earth Check-in Station due to your duties. All those Namekians killed on Namek by the one called Vegeta, along with the human called Krillin and even the Saiyan called Goku if need be...move them there once Porunga recharges Earth's Dragon Balls in one Namekian year's time. Let young Gohan's idea to save the remainder of our people with your Dragon bear fruit, and use our Porunga bring back your allies who fall outside your dragon's power." He gave a series of deep coughs, alarming his people.

"Please...my sons...I hope...all of my children, and their descendants, will enjoy peace and harmony..." With this, Guru starts to fade from sight. "Not only with each other...but with our friends on Earth, and your cousins of Katas' line...I am...so very proud..." With this, Guru finally faded, and the Namekians cried in grief. Tears flowed from many, including from Bulma, while Gohan stayed focused as he recalled what Guru had done for him. Vegeta and Nail also remained stoic.

"You need not fear nor lament." Many blinked away tears, and looked to the voice. Kami remained standing there, wearing a smile. The true eldest surviving Namekian regarded his mourning cousins kindly. "He faded in that manner because I have sent him to the Earth Check-in Station with his body. Because of his selflessness and his pure heart, he will be given the honor of retaining his physical body in the prime of his youth. This decision was already being made by King Yemma while Dende briefly extended his life." Kami closed his eyes, his smile staying on his face. "He now goes to your fallen brothers to greet them and soothe their passing, as well as to inform them of their imminent return."

Tears continued to flow, but with them, more than a few smiles manifested. Guru's story wasn't over, and they'd meet him again one day.

"If that is the case, then it is even more important that we follow his example." Moori said, looking from Kami to his younger siblings. "One day, we will rejoin him. Whether we are able to keep our bodies or not is not our decision to make, but to stand before him having honored his wishes and his teachings...to reflect the love and faith in us he has given...that is something each and every one of us can strive to do." Moori then looked to the his youngest siblings with a smile. "...as well as to pass all of that on to those who live in the peaceful future we will create."

With that, Kami gave a sage nod and vanished in a bolt of light once more. The other Namekians were grateful to him for helping guide their leader and father's passing, and Kami noted that this was one of the days that made the job worthwhile. He would certainly assist with Guru's final request to process those from the Namekian check-in station through the Earth one for their imminent revival. It would help for Krillin's case as well and Goku's if it came to that.

"Well, well, well. It must be nice. To be able to get your planet back and everything you've lost. A happy little ending. You even got a Super Saiyan and a new set of Dragon Balls out of it." Vegeta said with sarcasm. He smirked at Gohan, Bulma, and the Namekians as he readied his taunt. "Of course, you haven't realized just how much death you've caused."

Elder Moori's eyes narrowed slightly, curious. "What do you mean, Saiyan?"

Vegeta's grin simply widened. "Oh? Did you really think Namek was the only planet that was destroyed and had their population slaughtered by Frieza and his henchmen in the past year? It's been ten Earth months since Nappa and I destroyed the planet Arlia and its population for Frieza. So tell me...what do you think happened when you wished back the populations of billions of people...without restoring the planets that they were killed on?"

The eyes of everyone present widened in realization as Vegeta chuckled...only to build his laugh to one of a maniacal nature. "That's right! They appeared in the depths of space, alive and exposed to hard vacuum! Even in the rare cases where they didn't need pressure or air to survive, they'd still be trapped in space! You just revived and slaughtered untold billions for the sake of your own skins!"

Stunned Namekians clenched their fists as they struggled to wrap their minds around the sacrifice stated, Vegeta only resuming his laughter. It wasn't until Gohan rushed Vegeta and punched the smug Prince in the face did the man stop. Vegeta recovered quickly, rubbing his cheek as he looked to the rebellious upstart.

"King Kai would never do that! He had to have thought of that ahead of time and fixed that problem! You're just trying to tear us down because Dad became a Super Saiyan instead of you!" Gohan exclaimed, a comment which made Vegeta's eyebrow twitch. Of course, Vegeta had a response to this that made him regain his smirk. He launched into a counter attack, punching Gohan, who managed to dodge and counter with his own. Vegeta blocked with his forearm and continued to get under the halfling's skin with his words.

"Oh, it doesn't stop there. Think of every person executed by Frieza and his henchmen that was on a planet that didn't get wiped out. You think they'll just live peacefully? Of course not. Some will just be executed again where they fell! Others will stoke civil wars and spread the suffering all over the worlds Frieza controls! Cutting off the head doesn't wipe the organization out of existence...it just makes it thrash about madly until his father takes control of it again." Vegeta grinned. "People you brought back are being killed en masse as we speak. All for what, just over a hundred of you?"

While this happened, however, a voice rang out in Bulma's head and distracted her from the fight.

_'Hey, Bulma?' _Bulma looked around in shock, hearing the voice. Worrying for her own sanity, she was more than a little shocked.

_'Bulma, you're not losing your mind. It's me, Yamcha!'_ The voice called out. Indeed, it was Yamcha's voice.

"Huh? Yamcha? Where? I don't see you...I can hear you though. Did someone shrink you or something?" Bulma's verbal response distracted Gohan and Vegeta. The latter still managed to punch Gohan in the stomach and through a tree before his body hit the ground, digging a ditch before he finally came to rest. Piccolo and Nail both stepped forward to stop the altercation cold, Vegeta clicking his teeth and standing with his arms crossed with a glare to the recovering child.

_'No, nobody shrunk me! I'm full size—Look, Bulma! I'm communicating with you telepathically! King Kai arranged it. I'm relaying a message from him.'_ Yamcha clarified, easing Bulma's confusion. It was an understandable mistake though, since Master Roshi had managed to shrink in the past.

"No way..." Bulma managed, her voice cracking slightly in sad surprise.

"Bulma? Yamcha's talking to you?" Gohan grunted as he rose, starting to realize what was going on. "It's King Kai! He must have a message!" The boy started to get excited, the quarrel with Vegeta temporarily forgotten.

"Hey, that's what he said! Telepathy, huh? So it's true, then! It is Yamcha!" Bulma's voice rose and she got a smile on her face. "Hi, Yamcha! What's happening up there?" She spoke as if on the phone to him rather than being telepathically linked. Her suspension of disbelief was clearly satisfied.

_'Not much. Just hangin' out with the other guys. You know how it is. Tien and I are alive again though! We just haven't left King Kai's world yet. We've been able to watch the fight from here thanks to him.'_ Yamcha replied casually. _'But hey, I have to hurry because I'm sort of calling long distance. It's about Goku, Bulma. The fight on Namek is over.'_

"You're kidding! Who won?" Bulma asked, eagerly.

_'Goku did! He beat Frieza! But...uh-'_ Yamcha never got to finish, thanks to the interruption of his ex-girlfriend.

"Goku won? Alright! That's our Goku!" Bulma cheered and called to the others assembled. "Hey guys! Goku won!"

"Wow, Dad really won?" Gohan asked, excitedly as hope flowed through the Namekian people present. Finally, Gohan began to cheer, and he and Dende began to dance. Vegeta took in the victory, with both surprise and irritation that it wasn't him.

_'Bulma, please, listen! That's not the end of the story! There's more! After Goku defeated Frieza, he tried to use Frieza's spaceship to hightail it out of there. But the darn thing broke on him! He was stuck! With no way out! When Namek exploded, Goku went with it! He's gone...'_ Yamcha informed Bulma, whose expression shifted.

"Hold on, guys, there's more!" She said, before bluntly delivering the news. "Goku didn't make it off of Planet Namek before it exploded. He's dead." Yamcha's expression turned to one of horror as Bulma conveyed the message with bluntness. Quite a different tone from what Yamcha had delivered the news with.

_'Bulma! What are you doing? Are you nuts? You're not giving a weather report or announcing the score of a football game! The kid's dad just died! I could have done a better job than that!'_ Yamcha exclaimed, only to be met with Bulma's laughter.

"Hey! Now listen up, Yamcha! I'm the one with the real inside scoop, not you! What would you say if I told you that with the Dragon Balls from Namek, you can wish people back to life more than just one time? That means we can wish everybody back!" She exclaimed, raising her arms happily in glee. Goku, Krillin, and Chiaotsu can all be wished back! You're all coming home! How do you like that? It's not gonna take that long, either! So just relax and let the brains of the operation handle things!"

_'Oh man...same old Bulma.'_ Yamcha thought.

Another voice chimed in though. "Using Namek's Dragon Balls is a great idea, but I'm afraid it won't help Goku and Krillin..." King Kai finally interjected sadly, commenting on the plan.

"Why not?" Yamcha inquired.

"Well, when the Dragon restores someone's life, he brings them back to the place where they died. But Goku and Krillin died on Namek." King Kai conveyed with regret.

"Oh, I get it now...Namek isn't there." Yamcha comprehended the point the Kai was trying to make.

"Yes, you hit the nail on the head! Namek's gone. What a shame. It was a great idea." King Kai said with concern, only for Bulma to weigh in again.

"Actually, we're already working on that. Gohan thought of a way to use Namek's dragon to recharge ours to get around certain limits. Kami's gone off to arrange for Namekians that Vegeta killed, Krillin, and Goku to all go to the Earth's Check-in Station when the time for the wish comes. Grand Elder Guru thought that'd work and Kami seemed to agree..." Bulma said, her excitement hindered... "The problem is that Vegeta pointed out that our wish would have brought back everyone else Frieza and his men killed within the past year. Billions of people. Even those on destroyed planets like someplace called Arlia. G-Gohan said you wouldn't have made the wish unless you solved the problem, and I agreed, but...it sounds like you...didn't...I...I think I'm going to be sick..."

This melancholy was broken by Vegeta's laughter, before he leapt up from his seated position and landed among the villagers. "I told you, didn't I? It looks like my prophecy came to pass after all! It was nice of your dad, kid. Getting rid of Frieza like that for me? But that good deed pales in comparison to the lives you goody toe-shoes gave back and brutally took away to pull this all off. Imagine, the Kai drenching the galaxy in blood to save a mere hundred people! No wonder I didn't believe in him until now!" Vegeta's laughter reached a crescendo, the cosmic joke quite amusing to the man.

"Jerk!" Gohan growled out in irritation. "You're one of the people he saved!"

"Then he shouldn't have been so forgiving, should he?" Vegeta started to walk close to confront Gohan, but the Namekians glared at Vegeta, who cockily smirked and held back...for now. "But I guess he no longer has a place to condemn others for mass murder now." The Saiyan laughed again, gleeful at the lethal contradiction.

It was then that King Kai spoke up to everyone present. _'Oh, you're such a big know-it-all, aren't you? I may not have seen that particular option, but don't think that I'd just let billions of people die! I planned for that already, I just couldn't do it for Namek alone. I've got this, so let me do my job already. Back seat drivers, the lot of you...'_

With that, an angered King Kai disconnected the call.

* * *

_Otherworld_

"Wow, King Kai! You even thought that far ahead? I guess that's a Kai for you..." Yamcha said after the communication with Earth was broken. King Kai laughed hard, soaking in the praise, but thought to himself.

_'This sure is a blunder, isn't it? I'll have to give the Supreme Kai of Time a call for help! Going back a year to add a flag to the paperwork to move the dead to a different check-in station should give us all the setup we need. I just hope she doesn't take my car as a punishment!'_ King Kai pondered, only to be distracted by Yamcha.

"Uh, King Kai? I can still hear you, you know...what's a Supreme Kai of Time?" Yamcha asked, making King Kai twitch and whip around, smacking Yamcha's arm with his antennae.

"D-Don't read my thoughts without permission, Yamcha! And that's a question way above what any mortal should be asking! The cosmic hierarchy isn't something so open to mortals, you know?" King Kai cried out, embarrassed at being caught. Tien and Chiaotsu simply stared, dumbfounded at his response. The Kai sighed. "Well, I guess there won't be any hiding it soon. The fact is that I messed up. When planning for Namek's salvation, and reviving all the people who were killed by Frieza and his henchmen, I failed to consider all the people on other planets that have been destroyed in the past year. Vegeta was rubbing it in everyone's faces to destroy their hope."

Tien and Chiaotsu's eyes widened at the revelation. "H...How many people?" Tien asked, with concern.

"I don't know, Tien. But if I check, it'll be harder for the Supreme Kai of Time to make a stable time loop. Ignorance is wiggle room for things like this. I don't dare tell you what a Supreme Kai is, just know that she is well above me in hierarchy and that I don't call on her aid easily. It's a confession that I've messed up badly and need to tinker with time in order to fix it." King Kai sighs. "You might just be the first mortals to see the demotion or removal of a Kai in millions of years..."

The members of the Dragon Team couldn't help but be nervous at that statement. Chiaotsu spoke up, however, tilting his head. "Wait...Goku didn't just pop up where he died and neither did Piccolo, Tien, or Yamcha. They needed Kami's help delivering them. So...what you just said about appearing in space wouldn't happen to someone who was allowed to keep their body after death anyway, would it?"

King Kai heard the martial artist's reasoning, and couldn't help but facepalm at this additional oversight.

* * *

_The Forest Clearing on Earth_

"Excuse me, Miss Bulma. We have a request we'd like to make." The new Grand Elder Moori said as he approached Bulma. "We plan to use our Dragon Balls to relocate to another planet after everything else is resolved, but finding a suitable home is going to take time. Do you know of a place where we can stay temporarily until we make other arrangements?"

Bulma pondered only briefly before she blurted out, "Hey, I know! Just stay with me!"

Moori nervously tried to decline. "No, we mustn't impose."

Bulma, however, wasn't having it. "Hey! It's really no big deal! It's the least I can do for you all! Besides, you need a major credit card to stay in a hotel." The Namekians, not understanding those words, looked at each other in confusion. "Hey, no worries! My Dad's compound is huge! There's enough room for everyone!" She then spoke scarcely above a whisper, wanting to spare some dignity for them. "It's not like you guys have a lot of options. Green men from space aren't a common sight around here."

"Oh, my! I see your point!" Moori said, realizing there wasn't much that could be helped. "We...accept."

Bulma then looked to Vegeta. "And what about you? You'll need a place to crash too!" Sure, he was a jerk, but Bulma figured that she could at least be hospitable.

The surprised Prince looked away with a scoff, but Bulma pressed forward. "Hey, why don't you drop the tough guy act and live a little! Let it all go! Your boss is dead now, so think of it like a vacation! Who knows, maybe you'll even get a girlfriend! You're actually kind of cute!" Bulma said, teasing the man. She couldn't fight him, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy watching him squirm.

The Prince was a stunned, trying to process this bizarre comment as he clenched his teeth. "What! I'm not kind of—shut up!"

Bulma simply smirked. "It's not like you're going to find any interstellar spaceships on this planet that aren't made by my family anyway. Might as well stick around for a while and have some fun! Besides, you're the one lamenting the death of your race. Gohan's living proof that it doesn't have to be that way here!" Vegeta was stunned at the woman's audacity. Telling him to sow his wild oats here to rebuild his race? Did she really think that little about his pride-

"Alright, it's aaaalll settled! I'm going to call my Dad and have him pick all of us up!"

"Thank you so much." Moori says, in gratitude, while Gohan bashfully approaches.

"Bulma, do you think I could stay at your house for a little while?" He brings his fingers together, embarrassed, but Bulma responds with a giggle.

"What're you talking about, Gohan? You have your own beautiful house with a wonderful mom who is probably worried sick about you!" Bulma observed in response.

"Well...yeah...but...it'll just be for a short time. Please? Just until I finish my homework?" Gohan asked, making Piccolo chuckle and Bulma laugh a bit.

"Well, let me call my Dad first, and then we'll talk, alright?" Bulma asked, before getting on her phone. She'd need to call for the large transport. It was a bit slow, but it was better than nothing. After a conversation that was longer than Gohan expected, Bulma finished her phone call and looked to the young hybrid. "Sorry, kid. Your mom was at Capsule Corp, about to blast off in our new spaceship with Yajirobe, Master Roshi, Oolong, and Puar to Namek. I canceled their launch just in time, but there's no way she won't be on the transport picking us up. She'll probably be here in about four hours. Sorry, Gohan!"

Bulma felt for the child, well aware that his mother was very strict. It was only because he was absolutely determined to save Piccolo that he came to Namek at all. Gohan's shoulders slumped. "Aww, man! It'd take me that long and half again that long to do all of my homework...hey, wait!"

Gohan looked to Piccolo with hope in his eyes, and the Namekian wondered just what's on the kid's mind. He responded to the gaze after a moment of stoic confusion. "...I know I trained you, kid, but I've never had the opportunity to do any book learning. I can't really help you there."

"N-no, not that, Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan corrected, "I was just thinking...the Tri-Form Technique might cut down strength, but does it cut down intelligence or focus?"

Piccolo pondered the matter, and gave a smirk when he hit on what Gohan was trying to do. "Heh. Using a martial arts technique to do your homework faster? I can't tell if your mother would be disappointed or ecstatic. No, each clone is as smart as the original or it'd be a useless skill. I'll give you a quick run-down on the technique. You've got the ki control for it now. Dende!" Piccolo called to the nearby and now surprised Namekian child. "You should learn this too. You could have used this to heal more people at once and survive Frieza's initial surprise attack."

Gohan gave an eager nod and wore a determined smile. "Thank you, Mr. Piccolo!" While Gohan thanked his mentor, Dende approached obediently. Nail didn't raise issue. He was far less wary of Piccolo than he might otherwise have been, having been fused with him. Piccolo's assessment was quite correct as well. Dende could only benefit from the technique.

"Right, I'll show you how it works. It could be considered a lesser and temporary form of Namekian fission, so you should be able to pick this up pretty easily too, Dende. We should go over a bit away from the others, though...I don't want just anyone learning the technique." Vegeta gave a grumble but did not move as Dende, Bulma, and Gohan walked to another part of the forest and got a lesson in the use of the Tri-Form technique. Bulma paid close attention, curious as to how such an apparent impossibility worked. Piccolo went into detail not only about how to make either two or three clones, but also how to modulate the power distribution between them and other nuances. In the end, Gohan and Dende each managed to make three clones of equal power. They'd need practice to regulate their energy.

"But...where did the mass come from?" Bulma kept asking herself, the scientist in her not comprehending how this obeyed the laws of physics. Of course, Goku's eating habits had caused similar questions without appropriate answers for years now.

"Good. Send two of your clones back to the clearing to work on your assignments and help keep an eye on things. Leave a third behind though. I have a mission for him." The trio of Gohans looked to each other before obeying, two leaving while the third felt Piccolo's hand on his shoulder. "Gohan, there's something I'd like you to take care of. Think of it as a mix of a training exercise and...clean-up duty." The child looked up to his mentor, curious.

"What is it, Mister Piccolo?" Gohan asked, puzzled.

"The Saiyan who killed me before. Vegeta called him 'Nappa'. He was killed by Vegeta before he abandoned Frieza, so that one's alive again too. He's too close to East City and its own wished back people for my liking." Gohan's face took on a worried expression as he remembered the fact. He'd sensed Nappa when Guru was dying, after all. That reminder of the injustice of it all was what compelled him to act to help ease Guru's passing. "I'd like you to go deal with him and protect East City from him if necessary."

That snapped Gohan out of his thoughts and his eyes widened. "T-that big guy?"

Piccolo's eyes narrowed and he nodded. This very response was why he wanted Gohan to take care of it. "Gohan. Calm down and sense his power. Compare it to your own. He's no match for you now, even with your energy split into thirds like this. Those people there need protecting and I need to stay at full power. If Vegeta tries something, Nail can defend while I attack. After the three of us, you're the next-strongest being on this planet."

Gohan paid closer attention. After some analysis, he realized that Piccolo was right. Nappa's power level now felt like a mere blip compared to some of Frieza's men or even the weakest of the Ginyu Force. It was nothing like the overwhelming power it felt like before. It was actually weak compared to Gohan's current power, and that was _already_ reduced to a third of normal. "You're right! He feels so...small now, Mister Piccolo!"

"Yeah, kid. He's more experienced and likely has tricks up his sleeve, but I'm sure you can pull through. Just remember what you're fighting for and not to use any more power than necessary. We don't need him getting a huge Zenkai boost from fighting you." Piccolo smiled, but this put things into perspective for Bulma. It was a fight for everyone's life just against that one enemy less than two months ago, and now Gohan could fight him alone? Namek had really pushed the bar for everyone. Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotsu had better have increased by leaps and bounds at King Kai's, or they'd be left behind. Still, this was uncalled for.

Gohan departed into the sky while Bulma looked at Piccolo. The man greeted her obvious irritation with stoicism. "You've got something to say? Say it."

Bulma's irritation became a glare. "I may not be able to sense power levels, but I do have basic reasoning skills. You could probably handle this using just 1% of your power and _still_ beat Vegeta easily. Why send out poor Gohan? Hasn't he endured enough?" While an exaggeration, Bulma's estimate was closer than she realized.

"You're right. I could do it myself One percent would put me right around Vegeta's power when we fought here on Earth. Five percent of my reserves would probably be better, just to be absolutely sure." Bulma balked at that comment as the Namekian focused, straining slightly before he split off a clone at 5% power. A maximum power level of 90,000 should be more than leeway to take whatever Nappa could dish out if Gohan needed support. Said clone then suppressed its power and took off to shadow Gohan. Before Bulma could recover from the revelation, Piccolo continued. "But Gohan needs a win. Desperately." The genius' expression shifted from shock to confusion at this statement.

"Listen. Most of us chose martial arts. I failed to give Gohan that luxury. First he was kidnapped, then I kidnapped him to train for a year, then he was thrown into life or death fights against a revolving door of far stronger opponents. He's never had a victory. It's always been either support or stalling until someone stronger can come along to carry the day. The kid never even noticed how strong he became, even when fighting alongside us against Frieza before Goku came and finished the job." The blue-haired woman started to realize what Piccolo was getting at.

"The kid needs perspective. He needs a benchmark from his past to notice his own growth. And more than that, he needs more confidence in himself. I always intended to observe just in case, so don't worry. I'm not abandoning him." Piccolo saw Bulma's expression shift to a knowing smile, and he couldn't help but find it confusing and a little uncomfortable. "What is it now?"

"This isn't just atonement for what you did before. You've changed, haven't you, Piccolo? It's like Gohan's your own son!" The jovial woman drew an awkward blush from the otherwise stoic Namekian, who crossed his arms and retreated into silence. Bulma, however, didn't need a response. "Oh, you don't need to say anything. One more former enemy, brought into the light by the old Son family charm. They tend to do that just by being them, don't they?"

The trio of Dendes simply observed the interaction with a happy smile before going off to rejoin the other Namekians and Gohan. Piccolo was more kind than his silence and stoicism conveyed. He was much like Nail in that way.

* * *

Nearby, Orlen observed from a bush. He didn't know about power level sensing, but he was obscured by the various Namekians around from detection in case one of the enemies had a scouter. His eyes were wide. _'Lord Frieza is dead? Unthinkable!'_ Crossing his arms, he started to piece things together. This was Earth, where Vegeta first sought Dragonballs. Apparently there were now two sets of Dragonballs on this planet, both inert with their own different rules. The locals also looked like Namole, so scouting duties might need to be shifted to him.

Orlen's thoughts were interrupted when he perceived movement in a bush nearby and looked over, seeing a frog of sorts that was also observing rather intently. He was still, quiet...and wore an odd expression. Initially, Orlen thought he might be local, but the antennae looked too...Namekian. The frog looked over to Orlen, and there seemed to be a look of pondering. Suspecting that Captain Ginyu wanted a body change if he was indeed inside that frog, Orlen tensed up quickly and his eyes widened before quickly responding in an awkward whisper.

"I-if you're Captain Ginyu, your old body is alive and nearby...my power level is nothing compared to yours, Sir. Just trying to get intelligence." Orlen waited nervously, seeing if the Frog responded. Standing on its hind legs with effort...the creature then dabbed and started to perform simplified dance routines. Orlen recognized it as interpretive dance, a prerequisite for the Frieza Force to at least be able to interpret.

"Ah...yes...of course, I can take you there. Another survivor of Lord Frieza's forces is watching your body as we speak, sir." He whispered. He lowered his hands to the ground, and the irritated frog hopped into them after a moment of thought. Orlen moved away from the assembled group, back toward where Namole was located. At the very least, their odds of survival increased with the Captain around.

And said Captain had learned of an interesting technique...


	2. Spreading Ripples

**Author's Notes: ****I've made two edits to the last chapter. One to correct Piccolo and Nail's power levels to 1.8 million, and another to make Gohan facing Nappa to be Piccolo's idea. As such, the end of the chapter has been extended and improved. Piccolo's motivations and reasoning, as well as a small bonding moment with Bulma, are included.**

**Also, I apologize for waiting so long to resume this story. I got stuck on the Nappa fight and then got on a Ranma and Fate kick.**

* * *

_Chapter 02: Spreading Ripples_

_December 24, Age 762_

_King Kai's Planet, Otherworld_

King Kai's expression grew tense as he waited. Tien meditated under a tree, taking Piccolo's previous position before he'd been wished back to life, while Yamcha and Chiaotsu simply waited with Gregory and Bubbles. Sunglasses concealed King Kai's glare at the two now-living guests who were overstaying their welcome. "Honestly, I understand Chiaotsu staying here, but must you two stay and watch this? This is going to be embarrassing at best and lethal at worst! Don't you have a home to get back to?" King Kai wasn't exactly looking forward to this, but having mortals around to watch him be disciplined was a mortifying concept. Chiaotsu had at least assisted in making the meal and was still stuck here since he was dead.

Tien didn't even open his eyes as he worked on a reply. "If you send us away, it will look like you're hiding witnesses. That will only look worse for you, King Kai. Besides, how many opportunities might we have to meet the being responsible for governing time itself?"

Yamcha sat at what was essentially a picnic table that was set out with food meant to impress the Supreme Kai of Time and prevent her from feeling the need to cook for herself during this meeting. It was profoundly lucky that Goku wasn't here to scarf down the meal with his Saiyan appetite and make his typical first impression. "Yeah, that's kind of a big deal! She has to be insanely strong too. It's kind of weird that she's not here instantly and all of that. I mean, couldn't she just pop up any time she wanted? It's weird for someone like that to be late, right?"

"Haven't you ever heard of being 'fashionably late'?" Tien's eyes snapped open and looked over, as did everyone else's. The newcomer had made no indication of her arrival. The pink-skinned Kai looked at Yamcha appraisingly with her arms on her hips, not sure if she should be pleased with the praise of her strength and importance or the implication that she was late. "Besides, just because you're here first doesn't make me late. Maybe you're just early. Did you consider that?"

"But how? I couldn't even sense her..." Tien muttered, only for the girl to smile.

"Mortals can't normally sense divine ki. Have you ever sensed King Kai's power?" Everyone present was simply silent at that. On one hand they hadn't sensed King Kai's power, but on the other they just thought his ki was weak and that his main contribution was the techniques that he knew.

King Kai, suspecting this thought process, simply cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is the Supreme Kai of Time. She is immensely powerful, immensely experienced, and most importantly someone you do not want to make angry! If she says 'jump', even my boss has to say 'how high'!" The girl gave a double peace-sign and a grin.

"Hello, everyone! It's nice to meet you! I'm Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time! You must have done well to get permission to come here!" Chronoa was polite to them, even though they were quite low on the power level scale as far as the higher levels of the Kai were concerned.

Tien turned and bowed reverently, and Chiaotsu did the same as the former spoke. "Err...thank you very much. It's nice to meet you as well. I don't even have the wherewithal to fully comprehend the opportunity."

The Three-Eyed-Person may have been on his best behavior, but Yamcha was surprised. "Wow. Wasn't expecting a cute kid like this to be so important. Nice to meet you too!"

Chronoa was clearly taken aback by this, and King Kai was quick to respond. "Y-Yamcha! You don't say things like that to a Supreme Kai! You don't say things like that to _any_ Kai! You can be sure any Kai on duty is far older than you, so show respect!"

"Ah, sorry! I meant cute woman, then! I didn't mean any disrespect by it!" Yamcha said, correcting himself quickly and holding his hands out in front of him.

Chronoa blinked, her mind finally rebooting. She crossed her arms in a huff but blushed slightly as she looked at Yamcha critically. "...Fine. It's a misunderstanding, so I'll forgive you this time. Especially since you led it with 'cute'." The ancient being resolved not to elaborate on how much older she was than the scar-faced bandit. That might just invite further comment. She also elected not to comment on Tien's good-natured smile at the exchange.

King Kai cleared his throat again. This was going about as well as he feared. "So, why don't we sit down, enjoy some food, and I can tell you about the problem..." King Kai offered, hoping that this would placate her potential anger a bit. Complying, the group started to enjoy a meal. Chronoa seemed to welcome their company, so King Kai withheld the urge to tell the others to go train instead of hovering around.

"Alright, here's the problem, Supreme Kai. I made a mistake. A fairly large one that I need your help to fix." King Kai said, embarrassed and clearly concerned. Chronoa ate the meal, withholding judgment or anger until she heard more. A glance from her indicated that he should continue. "I assume you recall how Lord Beerus charged the Cold Family with eliminating errant planets while he slept?"

This comment caused a lot of confusion, and Yamcha was about to ask for clarification before King Kai raised his hand to stop him. Chronoa's expression grew serious as she swallowed her bite. "Yes. A misguided decision on Lord Beerus' part in my opinion. I've heard that the Cold Family has become problematic, destroying civilizations that were not marked for it. Many innocents have died, haven't they?"

King Kai nodded. "That's right, and it recently came to a head. The tyrant Frieza of that family recently learned of the existence of the Namekian Dragon Balls."

Chronoa's eyes widened and she put down her fork, considering his words before responding. "That's horrible, but I don't understand how his learning of the Dragon Balls is your mistake, King Kai. If anything, that responsibility falls to a power above your own." Indeed, she was internally wondering what Shin was doing at times like this. This was a universe-level problem for the Supreme Kai of Universe 7, not something the North Kai should deal with on his own!

"No, my mistake was something else. Let's see...where to start..." The blue man crossed his arms in thought for a moment before electing to start at the beginning. "You see, Lady Chronoa, a Namekian managed to arrive on Earth about three hundred years ago. He underwent fission to purge his darker aspects, became the planet's guardian, and made a second set of Dragon Balls for that planet. Rogue members of Frieza's forces recently killed the Namekians whose life force the Earth's Dragon Balls were linked to. The eavesdropping main force then attacked Namek for _its_ Dragon Balls to give Frieza a wish for eternal life. It was a slaughter. It became necessary to use Namek's Dragon Balls to revive the Namekians linked to Earth's Dragon Balls, and then use_ those_ restored Dragon Balls to revive everyone that Frieza or his men have killed in the past Earth year to try to resolve the issue. Each set of balls has its own rules to juggle with that made it necessary to do it that way. It was a large and convoluted plan that I bear ultimate responsibility for. One of my students and a friend of the students here, Son Goku, achieved the Super Saiyan form and defeated Frieza..." The 'young' woman's eyes widened slightly at the comment that one of those Frost Demons had been defeated, but allowed King Kai to continue. "...but it was pointed out that many people who were killed in the past year by Frieza and his men no longer have planets to be revived on! They'd reappear in open space by the billions only to die all over again."

Chronoa sat there, digesting the information she'd been told. Indeed, the loss of life and the suffering being discussed were massive. "...What did you need my help with, King Kai?" She asked meekly, hoping that there was something that could be done. She worried that he was over-predicting her ability to intercede.

"Let's see, how to word this...I would ask that you go back in time a year and order the processing of the people who perished at the hands of Frieza and his men through check-in stations of currently intact planets not under the Cold Family's control. Oh, except for the ones from Earth. That'd cause a paradox since I had to train Goku and these guys." King Kai said, making Chronoa's features relax slightly. She let out a relieved sigh and a small smile upon processing this solution.

"Is that all? I was worried that you were about to ask me to change the planets' histories or something. Of course I can do that! I'll just need to do some research on how to best allocate those people first." Chronoa was happy that the solution was something she could actually resolve and simply a bureaucratic one on the Otherworld's end to boot. Simple and efficient. As much as she hated paperwork, it was worth it to fix a problem of this magnitude.

Yamcha fist-pumped into the air. "Alright! Saved by the Kai! I was really worried there. I don't understand the stuff about this Beerus guy, but I got the rest!"

"It's _Lord_ Beerus, Yamcha!" King Kai warned urgently while Chronoa took a sip of tea. "And there's still the matter of what happens to me for my mistake. You might get a real slave driver to replace me, so don't get too happy just yet." King Kai muttered as the pink-skinned woman took a nice, long drink before setting down the tea.

"It's true that a mistake was made, King Kai. But to be honest, the Dragon Balls are a cat's paw that you were never really expected to deal with and the jurisdiction regarding them was never properly defined. With that issue collided with the consequences of the mismanagement that Lord Beerus has employed, I'm just relieved that things are salvageable. You _should_ have called for help sooner, but I understand the confusion that led you to act on your own. With that and the fact you have a good plan ready to fix this problem, I see no reason to replace or punish you this time as long as you've learned to be careful what you wish for...and assist me with the paperwork." King Kai gave a sigh of relief as he felt the figurative sword against his neck being pulled away.

"However..." Chronoa said, making the being stiffen in concern once more.

"There are certain reasons Earth and Namek are of interest to the Universe as a whole, and thus require a Supreme Kai's observation. The fact that these things could happen and Lord Shin stayed quiet means that I may have to coordinate with you and monitor these worlds more closely. Your request for me to get involved in this matter gives me the authority to do so."

"But Namek was destroyed. Their people and Dragon Balls had to be moved to Earth." Yamcha added to the conversation, surprising the Supreme Kai of Time notably.

"H-huh? So all of our Time Eggs are in one basket now? That's not good at all!" She nodded to herself, all the more sure of her course of action. "Yes, I'll definitely have to help monitor things. Dragon Ball-equipped worlds can influence far more than that single area of the universe. It's above the North Kai's pay grade." Chronoa said, King Kai both relieved that he'd keep his job and worried that he'd have her watching over his back from now on.

"...You get paid?" Yamcha asked, earning a funny look from King Kai.

"Of course I get paid. How did you think I got my car?" King Kai gestured to his Age 657 Bel Air. Thankfully, he wouldn't be losing it today. "Importing a classic like this from Earth hardened for ten times gravity didn't come cheap, you know!"

* * *

_Outskirts of East City_

"Hey! Watch it or I'll drop you!" the flying Nappa warned, the Saibaman on his back moving around a little too close to his tail for comfort. The growled out warning was enough to make the creature settle down as Nappa arrived at the crater he'd made in East City. While the city wasn't entirely destroyed, the center of town near Bamboo Forest was now a huge crater many kilometers wide. Nappa had personally seen to that. This hadn't changed, but what had changed was the grass in the crater that had grown over the past two months, the new lake in the center of it, and the large number of dazed people looking around themselves trying to figure out what was going on.

"You've got to be kidding me. They're back too?" As the Saibaman jumped off as Nappa descended to the center of the crater, and panicked people fled the flying man and his monster, the bald Saiyan started to think. Raditz' brother was wished back with Dragon Balls, and he'd personally killed the Namekian who was responsible for their care. That meant that only the Namekian Dragon Balls remained as far as he knew. If the Ginyu Force had died meeting resistance from Vegeta somehow...

"Wait...were we all wished back?" The mountain of a man finally realized the possibility, not completely lacking in mental power. Still, it didn't make much sense. Why was one of the Saibamen revived and not the rest? Why was he wished back by Vegeta at all? He was distracted from this line of thinking when an approaching streak of light approached him. Waiting for its arrival, Nappa was surprised when it stopped near him in the air and he realized it was Gohan.

"Heh, it's the brat. Shame about your tail, but at least the armor looks good on you. I don't buy that you've got the power to back it up, kid. What'd you do to get the armor, steal it?" Nappa teased, chuckling.

Gohan was expecting to be more scared, but he was only slightly nervous once he saw the man in person and felt his power. After enduring the others, this was almost nothing! "I'm not working for Frieza. Recoome trashed my clothes pretty bad. This was what I could get after I recovered."

That made Nappa stop in his tracks. _'This kid survived Recoome? If he got a zenkai boost from that...No.' _ The Saiyan dismissed the thought with a smile. _'This kid's just a half-breed of a low-level. He couldn't hold a candle to an Elite.'_ Nappa gave a deep laugh. "Well don't feel special because you're wearing it, brat. I'm sure Vegeta only let you live because you were one of the few Saiyans left. Probably why I was wished back too."

Gohan's expression softened and he responded with a tinge of empathy in his voice, to Nappa's surprise. "S-sorry...but we wished back all the people killed by Frieza and his men. You were one of the victims like everyone else." Nappa's eyes widened as the information entered his mind. He wanted to deny it, to cling to the hope that his years of service meant something even after Vegeta killed him, but it made sense. The only Saibaman to be revived must have been the one Vegeta killed. He was just extra baggage.

The burly Saiyan's fist tightened and his and teeth clenched. Hate flooded his being as he charged up his energy. Death hadn't permitted him to achieve much of a zenkai, but his energy was still deadly to the humans nearby. The enraged man then gave a primal yell and unleashed a Break Cannon from his mouth at Gohan. Unable to dodge the ki blast without the city's remains and its population taking damage, the child braced himself and used his own body to block the whole of the technique. The beam of white fought to break through the boy's guard, the child pumping ki into his defense. When the bright light faded, Nappa's open mouth shifted into a grin as he noted the dust cloud. The smile was short-lived, however.

When the cloud faded, all Nappa had managed to do was destroy the child's Battle Armor. His boots, gloves, and blue jumpsuit were all untouched, shielded more by his ki than any protection the armored components could have provided. Gohan looked to the man with a glare, his pity gone, while Nappa stood and gawked. "W-what? How the...?" Nappa blubbered, stunned. Of course, he hadn't managed to utter much more before he felt a fist slam into his bare torso. Gohan had chosen to keep himself to the same power level his father had beaten Nappa so handily with. The result was that the warrior's eyes bugged as he was knocked into the Northwestern wall of the crater with a loud crash. A long trench was dug across the landscape with his very body once Nappa was clear of the crater and away from the people, adding to the growing complexity of the area's artificial geology.

The Saibaman, watching the scene with confusion, wasn't sure what to do. Both were wearing the right clothing to be allies. Which one should he obey? It was then that Gohan looked to the Saibaman sternly. "...Don't hurt any of these people. It'll be the last thing you do. You hear me?" The glare he received from the child quickly cemented his allegiances. Saibamen obeyed the strongest, after all.

"Keh-KEH." The Saibaman muttered, making no aggressive moves and yielding in obedience. After a moment of appraisal, Gohan nodded and flew off to confront Nappa.

Nappa flared his energy with a loud yell and burst his way out of the crater, the angered man freeing himself just in time to see Gohan's approach. "Tch...okay, so you _did_ get stronger. But don't think I'll lose to some low level's half-breed brat!" Nappa rushed forward, intending to punch Gohan out of the air, but the Elite was just too slow. His fist met air, his cheek met Gohan's foot, and his body met the dirt once more.

* * *

_King Kai's Planet, Otherworld_

"Wow, that sure puts things into perspective." King Kai mused to himself, a bit more tolerant and relaxed of Yamcha now that his fate wasn't so gloomy. He merely had to assist with extensive amounts of paperwork after this deal was over. For now, though, they were enjoying a decent meal.

"What do you mean, King Kai?" Chiaotsu inquired.

"Hmm? I mean the fact that Nappa is getting the tar beaten out of him by Gohan right now." King Kai couldn't help but snicker.

"Wait, that jerk got wished back too? Let me watch, King Kai!" Yamcha exclaimed, quickly approaching and putting his hand on King Kai's shoulder.

"I would like to watch as well if that's alright. It would be cathartic." Tien managed with a bit more reservation.

"Who are Nappa and Gohan?" Chronoa inquired. Chiaotsu floated over and refilled her cup with juice while beginning to answer.

"Nappa is one of the two Saiyans that attacked Earth. Tien and I died fighting him. Gohan is a five-year-old boy whose father, Goku, is the Super Saiyan that defeated Frieza." Chiaotsu explained. Chronoa pondered this information, quickly recalling just how little time five Earth years was. Standing, she went over to King Kai and put a hand on his back. Chiaotsu soon followed suit. Sure enough, the group was treated to a pint-sized fighter beating the tar out of a giant monster of a man.

"It's frightening how quickly even a half-Saiyan can grow. Gohan is still holding back. I would say that he's over twice as strong as Captain Ginyu at his strongest..." King Kai shuddered at the leap. Those zenkai boosts were no joke.

"Man, that's wild...pretty sure Gohan's stronger than all of us now. Err, us mortals, I mean." Yamcha quickly corrected himself, not wanting to get another earful from King Kai. Chronoa wasn't paying attention though. Even though the power levels were minimal compared to those the Kais typically considered threats, she observed silently.

* * *

_Outskirts of East City_

"Are you done?" Gohan asked angrily, staring at the hulking behemoth. Gohan no longer bore any fear of this man. After all, what had transpired thus far couldn't even have been called a fight. Gohan had delivered every blow he attempted and Nappa hadn't even been able to touch him. It was a repeat of Nappa's earlier fight with Goku, except that Gohan had much more speed and control over his power. He was clearly holding back.

The very thought infuriated the bleeding and battered Saiyan invader. "Don't get cocky, brat! You may have gotten stronger, but you'll always be low-level trash!"

Gohan gave a small smile, getting a little more confident. "Low-level? You're not even a warm-up for me anymore. If I'm 'low-level', what does that make you?"

From a distance away, Piccolo watched as Gohan resumed battling Nappa. Indeed, Gohan was getting more confident. However, he was holding back a little _too_ much. Was the kid actually toying with his enemy? His cape flowing and his arms crossed, Piccolo glared at the Saibaman that Gohan had left behind. The kid was still too soft when it came to finishing the job.

"Excuse me, Majunior?" Someone inquired, compelling Piccolo to turn his head. He found himself face-to-face with a man with glasses and slicked-back hair. "I'm Jimmy Firecracker with ZTV. As a member of the group that fought this alien invader last time and the runner up of the last World Martial Arts Tournament, do you have any input as to the revival of the citizens of East City and the current situation out there?" The microphone was then pushed toward his face.

Piccolo was silent. He didn't dare mention the details of the Dragon Balls to the masses. The Namekian also lacked key social skills. It was more for the latter reason that Piccolo stared down the reporter before taking to the air and flying to a new vantage point.

"...It seems that Majunior has no comment. What about you, Sir?" The reporter pointed the microphone to the only entity left in the immediate area.

"Keh-KEH?" The Saibaman responded, summing up the situation as best he was able.

* * *

Nappa pondered the situation, gritting his teeth before finally smirking on coming up with a plan of action. "You're really that strong, huh? Let's see you prove it!" The man then focused, charging up an attack that he and Gohan both knew the latter could dodge. White ki wrapped around Nappa's body and the ground cracked, his power level raising to its maximum. A white ball formed in his hand, and an overconfident Gohan prepared to dodge the move...but then Nappa acted on his plan. Nappa got ready to throw his Bomber DX attack at Gohan, but then promptly turned on his heel and threw the attack toward the remainder of East City instead.

"W-what? No!" Gohan's eyes widened as he launched himself into the sky to intercept the attack, attempting to reach it before it killed the city's residents. They couldn't be wished back by the Dragon Balls a second time! He poured on the speed, knowing he might not make it...only for another more powerful ki blast to intercept and detonate the blast prematurely. No innocents were harmed and Gohan looked for their savior.

"M-Mister Piccolo!" Gohan exclaimed in relief on seeing his mentor, though Piccolo's expression was stern and his arms were crossed. He wanted to rebuke Gohan for being overconfident, but a white sphere of ki launched into the sky from Nappa's position and the hulk of a man started to grow even larger. The Oozaru form of the Saiyan race could increase their strength by a factor of ten, and it was Nappa's desperation tactic that bought him enough time to transform.

"Tch...I told you he was more experienced, Gohan. You shouldn't have toyed with him so much." Piccolo conveyed, while Gohan stared at the Oozaru.

"H-he's as strong as Recoome now!" Gohan noted, some of his nervousness returning.

"But not as strong as you, Gohan, even split into thirds like this. He's also sluggish. Take out the ball or his tail and finish this fight. I'll be here to intercept his errant attacks." Piccolo then gave a smirk. "Remember, Oozaru Vegeta was even stronger than this when your father battled him, but we still won because Yajirobe fought wisely and Vegeta got overconfident." Gohan gave a determined nod. He launched himself back toward Nappa to resume the fight. Rather than assist, Piccolo stayed behind to protect the city and to let Gohan win this one alone.

"Hey, brat!" Nappa's distorted and deep voice growled out, red eyes glaring at the fast-approaching child. "A shame you lost your tail. I wonder what you'll do about this!" The creature fired a massive punch, the huge fist closing in on Gohan, but the boy deftly evaded. The child was surprised at how slow the fist was moving.

"Hey, Mister Piccolo was right! You're super slow in this form!" Gohan realized, noting the limitations of the Oozaru body. The increased strength was pointless if Nappa couldn't even touch him. Nappa, however, already knew this. Even as the ape swatted and grabbed for Gohan, he was charging another Break Cannon. The boy saw the charging energy in Nappa's mouth and responded by flying up and delivering a powerful kick to the beast's chin. This snapped Nappa's head back and forced his mouth shut, causing the blast to detonate violently in Nappa's mouth. The airburst forced Gohan back a dozen meters, his arms reflectively going up in a cross guard, but he was unharmed.

"_GRAAHHHHH!_" Nappa roared, causing Gohan to look past his cross guard to his foe. The blast had burned his mouth, filled his nose with smoke that leaked from his nostrils, temporarily blinded him, and made his ears ring. It was as if he had a flash-bang grenade go off in his mouth. The monster stumbled and fell to one knee, and Gohan knew that this was his chance. Rushing around to the struggling beast's flank, Gohan employed a lone Destructo Disk and threw it at the base of Nappa's tail. Nappa had never even seen the attack that cut off his tail, the disk slicing through the appendage and continuing into the ground for dozens of meters before losing its shape.

"W-what? No! You little brat!" The Saiyan cursed Gohan as the battered shrank back down to his normal form, the only changes being that his tail lay severed on the ground and that a single big tuft of hair remained on his head – a temporary byproduct of the reactivation of his hair follicles in Oozaru form that would fall out soon enough due to his old age. Nappa was cut down to size cleanly and efficiently, just as Piccolo had advised. Compared to Frieza's transformations, it was rather...underwhelming.

"Are you willing to surrender yet?" Gohan called out. "You don't have to follow Frieza. Dad defeated him! Vegeta isn't the strongest on the planet, either! You could live peacefully here!" Gohan offered one last time. One final chance for Nappa to surrender.

The weakened Nappa's eyes widened at the comment. Kakarot defeated Frieza? That was ridiculous, though he was tempted to believe it if only because it made his own loss against the man less pathetic. The idea of not having to listen to Frieza or Vegeta anymore also appealed...but peace? Who needed peace? The fact the kid would offer that was proof that he was no Saiyan! In spite of earlier considerations of keeping the planet to repopulate it with human-Saiyan hybrids and restore their race, Nappa was angry enough to refuse. Oh, he wanted to tell this brat to shove it so badly that he clenched his fists.

The problem was that he knew what awaited him in Hell. An eternity of that mess, or a chance to grow stronger like the other Saiyans here and perhaps leave this planet to conquer his own world at some point. Nappa was a brute, but he wasn't a fool. Just as he had done for years under Frieza, the man swallowed his pride. "Tch, fine kid. I'm not interested in going back to Hell. But you better get my tail reattached! No true Saiyan should be without it!" Nappa growled, trying to get a concession from the child.

"This isn't a negotiation," Piccolo spoke as he descended gently to the ground. He then raised his hand and fired a ki blast at the source of artificial moonlight overhead, destroying it just in case. "Honestly, I'd rather Gohan simply blasted you back to Hell, but it's not like either of us couldn't handle you."

"Well, well. If it ain't the green man I killed before. Don't tell me you got a power boost too." Nappa said sarcastically.

Piccolo simply gave a stern nod, ignoring the sarcastic remark. "Fighting through Frieza's transformations and living helped push us all to new heights. I'm tied for the strongest on the planet right now, Vegeta's a distant third, and Gohan here is fourth. You're pretty much at the bottom of the barrel." That statement made Nappa flinch in anger. Reduced from an Elite to this? Saved because of some child's misguided mercy? He kept telling himself that it was a better fate than Vegeta had left for him.

The group would depart, flying toward West City with one Saibaman in tow. Gohan, flying behind Nappa to make sure he didn't try anything and carrying the Saibaman on his back, felt his mind being prodded by Piccolo's telepathy.

_'Gohan. You did well for your first time fighting on your own. You got a bit too overconfident though. It seems that you'll need more mental training.'_ Piccolo sent to the boy, briefly making Gohan smile.

His smile, however, soon faded. _'But I wasn't alone, Mister Piccolo. If I was, those people would be dead and I might be panicking...'_ The boy thought with regret, knowing full well that he could have cost the people of East City their lives.

_'Then act on it. You've learned of your flaws. Resolve them.'_ Piccolo made it sound so simple...was it? Really? The man gave no more advice for the moment as they flew. It wouldn't do to distract themselves from Nappa and the Saibaman for the whole flight.

* * *

_King Kai's Planet, Otherworld_

"That wasn't quite as one-sided as I thought it'd be. Krillin will be happy his attack was useful though." Tien noted, a bit surprised at Gohan's performance. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but the boy could certainly improve. He did well enough for a five-year-old.

"Maybe we should give the tyke some pointers when we get back. That is if his mother lets us anywhere near him." Yamcha noted, knowing that Gohan had scarcely been with his family at all over the past year. If he knew Chichi, she was not going to let her son out of her sight. How the kid was able to head off and fight Nappa at all was a mystery.

"Hey, guys!" A familiar voice called out to the group. Looking down from the planet toward the tail end of Snake Way, the assembled warriors and Kais noted the arrival of a certain friend in damaged Battle Armor.

"It's Krillin!" Chiaotsu exclaimed, waving at the man. Krillin waved back...until he felt the increased gravity of the planet on his approach. Surprised, the recently deceased man yelled as he slammed into the planet and left a crater, mumbling before straining and popping himself free of the grassy ground.

"What...the heck is this?" Krillin asked, feeling the strain. King Kai chortled a bit, never tiring of seeing new arrivals from weaker gravity worlds reacting this way.

"Hey, Krillin! Don't mind this. Ten times normal gravity just takes some time to get used to." Yamcha smiled, extending the smaller man a hand. Krillin accepted it and stood, albeit with some effort.

"Thanks...hey, Yamcha! You're alive again! And Tien, too!" Krillin said, excitedly.

"That's right! We just stuck around to watch King Kai meet with his boss! And to get a telepathic view of Gohan beating up a revived Nappa again. The kid used a Destructo Disc to take out his tail." Yamcha happily spoke, grinning at the memory.

"No foolin'? Why is it that everyone else has better luck with that move than I do?" It was true. The most Krillin had managed was to cut Nappa's face and sever Frieza's tail. Still, this was said jovially rather than with any form of frustration.

"Don't cut yourself short, Krillin!" King Kai said, before snickering at his own pun. "You survived for a long time against Frieza and even did lasting damage. You even earned a trip here to train! I have to ask, though. Where's Goku? Didn't he come from the Namekian Check-in Station with you?"

Krillin looked confused. "Huh? No. I waited there to see who lost, but no one else showed up. I was the last one through. After a while, they processed me and sent me on my way. Then they closed the station behind me."

Yamcha was puzzled. "Wait, are you saying...that Goku and Frieza didn't die on Namek?"

Krillin seemed just as confused. "Look, all I know is that I didn't run into them and I even waited for as long as they'd let me to see who won. I can't tell you any more than that."

King Kai extended his antennae and started to search. He wasn't able to find Frieza, but Goku... "...There! I see him! Goku made it to an Attack Pod! Let's see...he's in stasis sleep, so I can't contact him at the moment. At this rate, though, he'll land safely on the planet Yardrat."

"Is that good, or bad?" Tien asked, curious.

"Oh, it's very good! The Yardrats are a peaceful race! If your friend behaves himself, they would surely heal him and help him get back to your home planet in time." Chronoa stated, smiling. The Yardrats were a people with some abilities over spacetime, and thus Chronoa had dealings with them in the past. Positive ones. The Dragon Team gave a collective sigh of relief.

"Oh yeah! Krillin! There's more good news!" Yamcha remembered to state. "The Namekian Dragon Balls can wish you and Chiaotsu back! You'll just have to sit tight for 130 days or so!" Krillin perked up.

"What, really? I can go back? That's great! I thought my ticket was punched for good! Uh, not that it's not good to be here and keep my body, I'll just miss everyone. I hope you understand, King Kai." Krillin awkwardly said to the blue-skinned man whose voice had spoken to him when he held the Spirit Bomb in the fight against the Saiyans. King Kai's smile showed that there were no hard feelings.

"Speaking of going back, I believe it's time for the living to return where they belong. They will be needed to help protect the Earth." Chronoa said, feeling that this had gone on long enough. She and King Kai had been willing to let them linger for a bit, but it was time for Tien and Yamcha to leave.

Yamcha grinned widely, but Tien was more reserved. The latter spoke in concern. "Is it possible...for me to stay with Chiaotsu until he returns to life? Then we could go home together. I would rather not just...leave him like this."

"Tien..." Chiaotsu said, touched by the sentiment.

King Kai was sympathetic, but it wasn't really something he could budge on. "Sorry, Tien, but I can't override her. Besides, it really _is_ time for you to go home." Tien looked to Chronoa, who also understood the man's feelings of friendship and camaraderie, but she had to act in the best interests of the universe.

"Tienshinhan," Chronoa spoke gently, "the Dragon Balls' power is something to be safeguarded and protected. It is possibly above even King Kai's power to deal with should something go wrong. With the Earth having two sets of Dragon Balls, whose existences must be kept secret, we need every reliable person able to protect them to be ready and willing to do so. Doubly so if Frieza is still alive somewhere. Please, for the safety of the universe, return to your home and protect it."

Tien let the words sink in before giving a deep bow of respect to the Kais. "It is...as you say. Krillin, I expect you to take good care of Chiaotsu."

Krillin gave a nod. "You bet, Tien. I won't let him get lonely." This brought a wan smile to Tien's face as he stood once more.

"Good. Chiaotsu?" Tien said, putting a hand on his fellow Crane student's shoulder. "I will see you in a little over four months. Get stronger and try to contact me through King Kai every day. Bribe him with your home-cooked meals if you have to." That brought a smile to Chiaotsu's face and a grumble from King Kai. Chronoa gave King Kai a sideways glance that was meant to look critical, but she couldn't help but give a tiny smirk.

"I'll do my best, Tien! Oh, wait for a second!" Chiaotsu scrambled to the table and started to pack various foodstuffs and drinks into two bundles before he then handed them to Yamcha and Tien. "For your trip! Enjoy yourselves and say 'hi' to the others for me! And Tien...don't lose a few months of your life mourning me, okay? And don't spend time alone! Try to find something to do and enjoy."

Tien's expression was momentarily one of surprise before he gave another small smile. "I'll do my best, Chiaotsu. See you later." With that, the two Earthlings flew off of King Kai's planet and flew along Snake Way below, heading off in the direction from which Krillin had come.

Krillin watched them go, smiling, before his stomach growled. "Oops, sorry. I haven't eaten since before the fight with Frieza started. Is that spread over there open to everybody?"

* * *

_Forest Clearing - Dragon Team Rally Point_

"Hey, that's them! Alright! Hey, Dad! We're down here!" Bulma exclaimed, waving her arms for the propeller-driven cargo plane that had just arrived on the scene. When it landed, the rear cargo door lowered into a ramp, and out ran Chichi.

"Gohan! It's Mommy!" She yelled, rushing into the crowd of aliens. "Where is he?" She asked, not at all unnerved by the Namekian people.

"Over here, Mom!" Gohan called out happily from in front of an open book. Piccolo had taught him how to re-absorb the other Gohan studying with him, avoiding the mother's notice. "Just getting ahead in my schoolwork while I wait!"

Chichi beamed, rushing over to the boy. "Now that's what I like to see! Welcome home, son!" Chichi embraced the boy firmly, glad that he had returned safe and also seemed to have taken his studies seriously while he was gone. Bulma and Piccolo gave each other a knowing glance. As everyone was loaded onto the transport, including Vegeta, no one noticed a certain frog hopping into the landing gear of the plane.

As the cargo plane took off into the sky and flew away, Orlen withdrew from his observation post to the cave that Namole had found. Entering, he noted the rations that were being eaten with a look of disdain. Namole and Captain Ginyu sat on the ground consuming a meal with two frogs nearby eating a bit of food as well. Another ration pack was present, waiting for Orlen's return.

"Orlen reporting, Captain. The mission was successful." Orlen saluted the top officer in King Cold's Army.

"I know, I was there." Captain Ginyu responded, a first aid pack with regenerative fluid placed under his chest armor to tend to his self-inflicted wound from Namek.

"Ah...my apologies, Sir. This all is a strange concept for me to wrap my mind around." Indeed, the idea that a person could split into three as a combat tactic was a strange concept. Captain Ginyu, being the genius that he was, picked up that ability with a little practice after eavesdropping on the Namekian's lesson in the skill. He split into three frogs and promptly used his Change Now ability as one of them to re-enter his original body. Thankfully, it was more a breathing and ki-activated ability than something he truly needed to shout, or the wordless frog would have remained his prison. Captain Ginyu now controlled his original body and two frogs, with the third frog having its original personality once more. One of the frogs under his control was hiding aboard the plane.

What were the long term consequences of potentially imbalancing the Tri-Form technique with different bodies? It was hard to say if anything bad could happen, but they had few options. The frog was needed for reconnaissance.

Captain Ginyu had also puzzled out how to sense power levels based on his experience controlling the blue-haired human woman's body. He did not like what he had learned. Vegeta, two Namekians, and even the Saiyan child. All outclassed him in power by far. For now, all he could do was heal, watch, and wait for opportunities.

* * *

_Capsule Corporation Headquarters, West City_

After four more hours of studying for Gohan, the craft landed and the Namekians were able to disembark. Chichi was satisfied with her son's academic progress, which was a dodged bullet. Bulma addressed the Namekians with a smile, glad to have gotten out of that mess.

"Well, guys. This is going to be your new home for a while! It's not the Taj Mahal, but I think you're gonna like it." The Namekians and Vegeta looked around, not even thinking about what this 'Taj Mahal' was. It didn't help that a grateful Panchy accosted Vegeta, thanking him for helping save her daughter and calling him a hero. He was clearly not used to such things. What surprised him more was when he saw a ship...with Nappa standing near it and listening to Doctor Brief's commentary. Nappa's tail seemed to have a cast of sorts at the base, indicating damage.

"She's a real beauty. Advanced supertronics, the best self-generating laser-powered reactor, and a stereo system that'll bring the house down. It's based on the wreckage from your Attack Pod, but we put our own upgrades into it." The man said to Nappa. The large and burly Saiyan found the ship rather nice and the man had managed to reattach his tail, so he decided _not_ to blow this place up at the first opportunity. This was the only one around that made spaceships, after all. It was his sole ticket out of here if he wanted to leave someday. It helped that his wife mixed a mean Shirley Temple, whatever kind of drink that was. It was booze, he liked it, and that was all Nappa needed to know.

"Nappa, what are you doing here?" Vegeta asked, getting tired of all the surprises that day. Nappa glanced to Vegeta, giving him a bit of a glare.

"So the kid told the truth. Tch. Long story short, they wished for all of the people Frieza and his men killed to come back. You worked for Frieza when you killed me and that one Saibaman, so here we are." Nappa wasn't too pleased to see Vegeta after being killed by the man.

"Hmph. And I suppose the 'kid' is the one you lost your tail to?" Vegeta noted with irritation.

"Not like you did any better, Vegeta. And the 'kid' was stronger than you were back then." Nappa was inwardly pleased that this earned a twitch from Vegeta. "Is it true that Kakarot wrecked Frieza?"

With this, Vegeta scowled. "That's what they're saying. I know he became a Super Saiyan in the fight. I was able to see it with my own eyes. That's the new level I need to reach. Not that you'll get there, Nappa." Vegeta gave a smirk. "Even the five-year-old has far outpaced you." Nappa bore his teeth, but Vegeta could just blast Nappa if he dared talk back. Why the kid kept him alive was a puzzle he didn't really care to give much thought to. With that, Vegeta strolled into the spaceship and started to inspect it. He was pleased enough with what he saw as he inspected the console. "Not bad. Kakarot must have used a ship just like this one."

Vegeta was alone, distracted, and inside of a spaceship. It was an opportunity that couldn't be ignored. Quietly getting into position, the being stalking the Prince of all Saiyans readied its ambush. Wordlessly, a bit of ki flared...tiny given the body emitting it, but just enough for Vegeta to look toward the source. Unfortunately for him, it was too late. The interior of the spaceship flashed white as the frog that was spying on the group exchanged bodied with Vegeta and trapped him within the useless green form. Frog Vegeta stared up at his own body, the man pressing a button to close the doors to the Capsule Corp spaceship.

"It wasn't my intention to act so soon, Vegeta, but you did let your guard down and provide me a chance to escape. I suggest you buckle in, lest your frog body gets crushed. I would rather deliver you to King Cold intact for...questioning." The craft had already been on standby to launch itself to Namek, so it was an easy matter for the Vegeta-clad Ginyu to buckle himself in and press the launch button.

By the time anyone knew what was happening, the spaceship was already lifting off and accelerating far out of their reach in on a column of white-blue light...


End file.
